As You Wish
by rosexknight
Summary: Rumbelle Princess Bride AU. Does more really need to be said?


As You Wish

By: RosexKnight

_Rumbelle Princess Bride AU. Does anything else really need to be said?_

Chapter One

"Hey kid. How ya doing?"

Henry looked up from his video game to his mom. "A little better."

The blonde leaned forward, touching her hand to her son's head and neck. She frowned, and Henry knew what that meant. Not that he was complaining about having the ability to stay home from school, but his video game was getting rather boring.

"You're still warm. Better stay in bed until the fever breaks." His mother's smile was apologetic. "But hey, your dad's coming over to see you."

"He is?"

"Why so surprised?"

"Nothing."

His mother rolled his eyes, but then the doorbell was ringing, and a new sort of anxiousness was running through him. He usually only saw his dad on special occasions and weekends. His parents were doing their best for him, he knew. They were even close to making up maybe. But even now there was something stiff about the muffled "Hi Neal." "Hey Emma." That he heard through his bedroom door.

"Hey bud." His father said, flashing him a goofy grin. "How ya feeling?"

"Rotten." Henry said honestly.

"Well, I got something that'll cheer you up." Neal produced a rather plain-looking book from behind his back. The only thing on the cover were the words "Once Upon A Time…" Henry's excitement seemed to wane. "What?"

"A book?"

"That's right. Way back when television used to be called books." Neal said with a wink. "And this is a special book. My papa used to read this to me while I was sick and now I'm gonna read it to you."

"Is it good?"

"Are you kidding? It's got fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles…"

"Alright it doesn't sound too bad." Henry said, turning off the TV with his remote and settling back into his pillows.

Neal rolled his eyes. "Your vote of confidence is overwhelming." He opened the book. "Let's see…The Princess Bride. Chapter one. Once upon a time, there was a girl named Belle, named so because of her beauty. She lived on a farm in a small provincial town. Her only pleasures were riding, reading, and tormenting the spinner Rumpelstiltskin, who lived on their farm and sometimes helped as a farm hand despite his limp."

And as his father read on the smell of fresh baking cookies wafted through the air. Henry figured if he got cookies out of it listening to a fairy tale wouldn't be so bad.

Belle was known for her beauty throughout the land of Florinn. Despite this, however, she had no line of suitors at her door the way other girls did. That suited Belle just fine though. She would have much rather spent her days riding, reading, and partaking in her favorite pastime.

"Spinner?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked up from his wheel, a question in his eyes as Belle disembarked from her saddle.

"Polish my horse's saddle? I want to see my face shining in it by morning."

The spinner nodded. "As you wish."

As you wish was all he ever said to her when she ordered him around. There were times when they chatted as he spun and she read. But it was always "As you wish." when she gave him an order. And that was how it was.

Until one day it wasn't.

"Spinner. Make me some tea." She paused as he turned to her from his place at his wheel by the fire. "Please."

"As you wish."

It hit Belle then. When he said "As you wish," what he meant was "I love you."

"Spinner."

She didn't know what made her call back to him when he set the tea tray down. Rumpelstiltskin turned to her, and she suddenly felt very helpless under his expectant gaze. She looked around the room from her spot on the couch, teacup in hand, searching for something that would work as an order.

"Fetch me that book?" Belle asked, pointing to the shelf behind her.

Rumpelstiltskin's brown gaze didn't leave her blue one as he stepped forward, leaning over her to retrieve the book and hand it to her.

His words were but a whisper. "As you wish."

The teacup clattered to the floor as she abandoned it for the back of his head. Far flashed behind his eyes for a moment before she pulled him into a kiss.

Henry groaned.

"What? What's the matter?" Neal asked looking up from the chapter.

"Is this a kissing book?"

"Wait. Just wait."

"But it does get good right?"

"Let me read."

"Alright."

"Now then. Where were we?" Neal looked back to the book. "Rumpelstiltskin, being a poor spinner didn't have any money for marriage. So, he gathered his courage and went across the sea to seek his fortune. But Rumpelstiltskin didn't reach his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate Gold, who never left captives alive. When Belle got the news that Westley was murdered…"

"Murdered by pirates is good."

Belle sat beside the window on the couch. Her books lay abandoned on the shelf. She had no heart for reading today. Not when the world looked so grey and she felt so numb. She ran her finger over the cold porcelain cup in her hand, tracing the small chip in the rim.

"I'll never love again…"


End file.
